Agencies transfer wreck removal powers to NIMASA

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), have transferred their wreck removal functions to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Heads of both Agencies made this disclosure at the meetings of the Chief Executive Officers of Maritime Agencies held on Tuesday at NIMASA’s headquarters, Lagos.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the functions of the three institutions as regards wreck removal were overlapping.

Section 22 of the NIMASA Act gives the agency power to remove wrecks from its waterways while section 9 of the NPA Act also gives it powers to remove wrecks. Section 7 of the NIWA Act gives similar powers.

“During our last meeting we agreed that NIMASA should go ahead and commence the process of removing wrecks within the nation’s territorial waters,” Jamoh said.

He said the Federal Ministry of Transportation has been briefed and awaits the Public Bureau of Procurement (BPP) for a certificate of no objection. “We will go to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, and then obtain approval to commence the removal of wrecks.

“What we could not achieve within the last decade, we achieved within the last two months.”